Milan rules out El Shaarawy exit

AC Milan has released a statement confirming it will not sell striker Stephan El Shaarawy this summer following a meeting between the player and the club's CEO Adriano Galliani.

The 20-year-old striker was a sensation in the first half of last season and the Rossoneri's single redeeming feature in a dismal start to the campaign.

But his form tailed off after January, following the arrival of Mario Balotelli, and given the former Manchester City man's ability to play as a lone striker and suggestions the pair were not compatible, speculation mounted regarding El Shaarawy's future.

But the San Siro club has now moved to dismiss any possibility of allowing one of their prized assets to leave the club.

A club statement read: "It was a meetingbetweenAdrianoGalliani, Stephan ElShaarawyandthe entourageof ouryoung champion. And everything went well.

Premier League side Chelsea had been linked with a move for the former Genoa man, who scored 18 times times in all competitions last season, but will now have to look elsewhere with his current deal with Milan running until 2018.